Atlético Madrid midfielder Saúl has insisted his ill-fated loan spell with Chelsea was a good one for him, despite his struggles at Stamford Bridge.
The Spanish midfielder spent last season on loan with Chelsea, arriving on a loan deal which included an option for the Blues to make it permanent.
That was something they did not decide to do, with it clear as early as January that they were not happy with the deal.
Saúl struggled to establish himself at Chelsea from day one, with the midfielder never working his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans firmly.
He would make 23 appearances across the campaign but just ten in the Premier League for a combined 475 minutes of action.
Indeed, most of his campaign was spent sat on the bench, with him managing just five appearances between January and the end of the season.
It was a deal that did not work out for either party, but the player is looking at the positives as he returns to Atlético.
“Despite the fact that I have not had the minutes I wanted, I think it has been a good experience for me to leave at a time when mentally I was not feeling well,” AS report him saying.
“I have been able to reset, learn about a new culture, lead a new life, meet a new club, new fans.
“I can only be grateful to all the people at Chelsea for their trust and to my team-mates for making the year so easy for me and helping me, and to Atleti for making it easier.
“I think this season has helped me to improve in many aspects, I have learned a lot, and that will come in handy for this new season.”
